Fruit

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many pounds of fruit are imported annually by the Government of Nyasaland; what fruit crops are at present grown by European farmers; and what encouragement is given by the Government to African farmers to grow fruit for commercial purposes.

Fruit grown by European farmers includes citrus of all kinds, peaches, plums, strawberries, tomatoes, avocado pears, bananas, pineapples and passion fruit. This produce is normally taken up by local markets.

The Government of Nyasaland encourages Africans to grow fruit for commercial purposes by issuing budded trees of all types at subsidised prices. A total of some 10,000 trees were sold in 1957. An African producers' co-operative society has been formed in the Central Province which sells fruit grown from trees supplied under this arrangement. The society's turnover in 1957 was about £2,500.